Filling a dental cavity involves the steps of removing decayed tooth structure, e.g., with a dental hand piece and burr. After the decayed tooth structure is removed it is replaced with a filling material, e.g., gold, silver, or amalgam. The filling material is then smooth to remove rough spots and assure that the filling material matches the shape of the tooth.
The removal of decayed material and smoothing the filling both involve the use of dental drills. Dental drilling gives rise to heat and vibration, both sources of patient discomfort.
Modern dentistry is practised with the use of high speed drill bits, also known as dental burrs. These drill bits rotate at speeds of about 800,000 revolutions per minute.
A need exists for a wear resistant dental burr coating that retains its hardness at the high speeds necessary to avoid patient discomfort. Moreover, the material must be relatively non-toxic while avoiding the low lubricity and irregular topography of many refractory compounds.